JEDDAH: The sacrificial meat from 700,000 sheep, and 10,000 camels and cows would be distributed to the poor in 24 Muslim countries across the world, Ahmed Mohammed Ali, president of the Islamic Development Bank (IDB) announced yesterday.
Addressing a press conference, he said more than 30,000 workers, including butchers and administrators, 700 veterinary doctors and 400 religious experts would be deployed to carry out the meat utilization project, which has been supervised by the bank since its introduction 26 years ago.
Ali urged foreign Haj missions to encourage their pilgrims to purchase coupons for sacrificial animals that would be made available at outlets in Makkah, Mina and Madinah, and at the Kingdom’s entry points. The committee in charge of the project signed an agreement last June with Saudi Post to market the “hady,” “adahi,” “sadaqa” and “fidya” coupons among pilgrims who can either get coupons from SP offices or via its website.
Pilgrims can also visit the project’s website www.adahi.org, which was designed with the National Commercial Bank, to purchase coupons using their credit cards. Last year the bank utilized the meat of 763,422 sheep, and 6,008 camels and cows. The project began in 1982 with the meat of 63,000 animals used.
Mohammed Ali said the project was instrumental in properly utilizing the valuable meat of sacrificial animals during the annual Haj. Prior to the formation of the meat utilization project, sacrificial meat would often go to waste due to the intense Arabian heat, causing environmental problems in Makkah and its surrounding areas.
He added that the Saudi government had spent more than SR1 billion in establishing state-of-the-art abattoirs with advanced facilities in Moaisem, an area located close to Mina. This year the bank would charge SR395 for each sacrificial sheep — the amount includes service charges. Groups of pilgrims, each with no less than 30 people, can send their representatives to the slaughterhouse to witness the slaughtering of their sacrificial animals.
